TV Review: Doll & Em

Yesterday, I visited my best friend, Phoebe, and we watched the final two episodes of the gorgeous show that is Doll & Em. I knew I would love this show because I had seen a pilot clip of Dolly & Laura (a very simliar concept with Dolly Wells and Laura Patch) before from quite a few years ago, which features Noel Fielding (my absolute favourite), and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. Doll & Em follows two best friends, both aged fourty-something. They are Dolly, a clumsy, almost naive but entirely loveable lady who has just broken up with her longterm boyfriend, and Emily, the successful Hollywood actress with a load of famous phone contacts. At the start of the first episode, Em decides to hire Dolly as her personal assistant as an excuse for the two of them to spend more time together while the actress films for her latest movie project in LA.

Phoebe (left) and I (right)

The show is endearing, hilarious and extremely uncomfortable in places because Dolly often manages to say or do the wrong thing that leads to her either looking an idiot to the Hollywood stars or completely showing up Emily. The funniest moment for me happened pretty early on, where Dolly goes for a swim in the pool outside Emily’s apartment and ends up getting locked out there all day. Both Doll’s clumsiness and charm really come out in this scene and it had me and my friend laughing until we were in tears. The fact this show appeals to both of our senses of humour is great and I definitely feel that Phoebe and I have a similar relationship to that of Doll and Em (though we have never had an argument and neither of us are good at acting). This might be why I like it so much, it’s almost a sneak-peek into the future of our own friendship in a weird way.

What really makes the programme work is the fact that Doll and Em, much like Phoebe and I, have been best friends since they were little girls in real life and it really shines through beautifully. Their personalities are entirely different yet they bounce off each other brilliantly and have such a close relationship that it borders on dysfunctional. Also, I have loved Dolly for a long time due to her role in Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy but had never come across Emily Mortimer before… until it was pointed out by a hilariously slow customer at the restaurant where Dolly works that it was her in Shutter Island. I love that film, and almost feel like I have achieved something from learning this information: I feel like I already know Emily in the way I already knew Dolly.

Doll (left) and Em (right)

The absolute cherry on the cake was the appearance of Noel towards the end of the final episode. Although he is acting so has toned his fashion sense down ever so slightly (he still wears a poncho, of course), when the camera pans out you can see the glimmer of his silver chelsea boots which I thought was fantastic. The final few scenes of the series featured Noel, which is always a positive, but the performances of both ladies were flawless: I could feel the love they have for each other radiating through the screen.

I’ve never seen a programme quite like Doll& Em and I can really tell it is a product of love, both for the show and for each other. I will be over the moon if this beauty is commissioned for a second series and I can imagine there being a wonderful film adaptation of Doll & Em one day.

[…] programmes broadcast this year, with some of my favourites including Uncle, House of Fools, Doll & Em, The Walshes, Inside No.9, Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled and Siblings. In this sense, 2014 has […]

[…] programmes broadcast this year, with some of my favourites including Uncle, House of Fools, Doll & Em, The Walshes, Inside No.9, Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled and Siblings. In this sense, 2014 has […]